A lifestyle blog covering a wide range of topics- food allergies, working mom, natural pregnancy, daily life, child with special needs, travel, and all of the hot topics of being a mom!

The Taynors

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Health Talks- Supplements

I have started to go to the chiropractor again (the one I take Ryan too). My back has really been feeling pretty good, but I like the idea of improving my overall health. I know that my posture and strength has changed due to pregnancy and I think going to the chiropractor will help get me back to my pre-pregnancy body. One thing I like about my chiropractor is that if feels more like a wellness center. Dr. Rob is not concerned with just adjusting you and sending you on your way, but he really takes the time to get to know you and your overall health concerns. He took the time right from the first session to discuss my back, health, and any other physical issues that I am having. He also does health talks every Tuesday night on different topics (Eat Well, Think Well, Move Well, Be Well). I decided to go this past Tuesday and see what it was all about. I am going to write about each of the health talks on this blog so that I have a place to come back and review what I learned. The topic was Supplements.

*One intersting thing I learned that I never thought about is to be careful where you purchase your vitamins from. Its easy to just go to the grocery store and buy any multi vitamin, but its worth taking the time and really researching the product before buying it. A company that is going to spend all their money on marketing, might not spend as much time and money on really developing the best product. Its a good idea to always go to the health food store first. There you can ask tons of questions and really find the healthiest vitamins and minerals.

*You do not have to take vitamins every single day. Its almost better to take them randomly and a few times a week. The reason being is that if we were really getting the vitamins from nature in what we eat, we would not be getting the same vitamins daily. One day we may consume more fiber and Vitamin C but the next day we may have more Calcium and B12. So random is good.

*We should alll try to take vitamins or supplements with food that is similar to that vitamin. Taking Vitamin C with a glass of organge juice will work much better than taking taking it with a cup of coffee.

*A general rule of thumb when eating is to avoid white foods (sugar, milk, salt, white flour, cigarettes, etc). These are the foods that will really cause harm to your body. Instead we should replace them with agave, almond milk, sea salt, whole wheat and whole grain products. I can make this change with all the categories except for milk. I am a milk drinker so switching to Almond Milk will be a lot of work.

*Cutting out fats is not the best way to lose weight or be healthier. Every cell in our body needs fat to function properly. Instead eat good fats and lots of fruits and vegetables and you will be much healthier. Avoiding over processed, factory created foods is a better option than going on a low fat diet.

*Some vitamins or supplements that everyone should be taking regularly are Omega 3 Fatty Acids, Probiotics, and CoQ10. Omega 3's can be found in leafy plant foods, flax seed, and in fish. The probiotics are good germs that help with digestion, and CoQ10 produces energy and antioxidants. Taking these is a great place to start, but there are sooo many more things we can be taking (through vitamins and our food) that will help us live a longer, healthier life.

*Using spices like pepper, chili powder, cinnamon, curry, fennel, nutmeg, and ginger will not only make the food taste better but it will help our metabolism and our overall health. No more table salt!

*When choosing whether to buy organic food or not, it is more important to choose organic meat over organic vegetables.

I think thats about it from this health talk. It was really a half hour packed with good information. I am really looking forward to going to another one soon. I just figure that its a good time in my life to re-evalutate how I want to live. This has been a really rough year with the loss of 2 very important family members, so we have all learned that life is short. I want to do the best I can to live the best life possible.

On a side note- I am back to my pre-pregnancy weight and feeling great. I have been working out with Ciri twice a week (she kicks my butt) and then trying to do some kind of physical exercise at east 3 other days. Some times that may only be a walk on the boardwalk with Ryan, but at least I'm moving. I even felt brave enough to put on a bikini this weekend! So here is to a happy, healthy, fun summer!